Sammy Sasso is a Big Ten champion once again.
It certainly wasn't easy, but Sasso was able to outlast No. 6 seed Michael Blockhus, 7-5, to win yet another Big Ten championship for the No. 1-seeded wrestler in the 149-pound weight class.
Blockhus took a 2-1 lead early following a 2-point takedown in the first period. Sasso then answered with a takedown of his own a short time later, taking a 3-2 lead at the end of the first period.
After choosing down to start the second period, the Minnesota product was able to escape nearly 40 seconds into the period to tie it up, 3-3. Following a takedown by Blockhus, Sasso was able to escape with 17 seconds remaining in the period to cut the lead to 5-4.
Sasso then chose down to start the third period, just like his opponent did a period earlier. With an escape of his own to tie the score, 5-5, the final period of the match turned into a battle of takedowns, with each wrestler showing aggressiveness of his own. The score remained tied at five at the end of three periods.
With the match going to a sudden victory period, Sasso was able to fend off multiple attempts at a takedown by Blockhus and the Ohio State product was able to get a takedown of his own to win the match with a 7-5 decision and take home the Big Ten title at 149 pounds. It was the second Big Ten title of his career after he took home the conference championship in the same weight class in 2021.
title winning takedown #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/OBPf6uJRmM
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) March 5, 2023
collecting hardware #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/pfSlBWNUC5
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) March 5, 2023
Kaleb Romero (184 pounds) also represented the Buckeyes in a championship match Sunday night but came up short against No. 1 Aaron Brooks. The Penn State product won a major victory, 12-2, to claim his third Big Ten title.
Ohio State will send seven wrestlers to the NCAA Championships as a result of their individual performances at the Big Ten Championships this weekend:
- Jesse Mendez (133, sixth place)
- Dylan D'Emilio (141, third)
- Sammy Sasso (149, first)
- Carson Kharchla (165, third)
- Ethan Smith (174, third)
- Kaleb Romero (184, second)
- Tate Orndorff (Heavyweight, fourth)
Penn State, the No. 1 ranked team in the country, won the Big Ten championship as a team. The Nittany Lions had four individual champs. Ohio State finished fourth overall as a team.
The NCAA Championships will take place in Tulsa, Oklahoma from March 16-18.
